Sunday, August 18, 2013

Easy T-Shirts Without a Pattern

Easy T-Shirts Without a Pattern

I'm going to start off this entry by
giving you a gentle warning. If you are an avid , skilled seamstress,
this blog is not for you ! This is a humble blog for ladies in the
process of making the title of Homemaker their profession . Perhaps you
don't have much time in this season of life or many resources. But you
want to find new ways to improve your home, save money or learn a new
hobby. I'm glad you are interested in following my journey !

I've really come to enjoy putting together
a number of projects. You are about to participate in my first attempt
at making t-shirts for me and the family.I bought myself 2 meters of
a stretchy cotton fabric, on sale for $2/meter ! What a steal ! One
walk through your fabric store and you will quickly see that projects
can either save you money or cost you some very serious money !

Ready ? Here we go-

Find your favourite t-shirt. Fold your fabric down the middle so you have a long piece doubled over. Fold your shirt in half and put the folded side along the fold of the new fabric. Now
you can either trace around it or pin it to the fabric and cut right
away. If you are thinking you will be perfect this time around and want a
pattern that you can reuse you can draw out the shape onto craft paper.

When you trace your shirt to cut out, be sure to leave a seam allowance. This is usually about 5/8of an inch of extra fabric that you will need in order to stitch.

You now have the BACK piece of your shirt. To make the front I place my cut out piece over the fabric so that I know my pieces will be symmetrical when I sew them together.

The trick now is that you have to make the neck line. Notice how it will be lower than your back piece. I've done a V neck today. I found the middle point and made sure that my lines were straight and even.

With right sides together ( usually the patterned side, I'm sorry my material doesn't have one), find your shoulder seams and stitch the front and back pieces together. Do this for both sides. Use your favourite T-shirt as your guide to locate the shoulders !

Now take a long strip of your leftover fabric and cut it into a strip that's about 2-3 inches wide. This is going to be the collar. Whenever you sew make sure you set up your ironing board ! Seriously, it is worth the time to always press your fabric. You will achieve a much cleaner finish and your fabric will be easier to use as well. Fold your strip together lengthwise, wrong sides together. And press it.

Now the fun part. Do this slowly, carefully and right ! Turn your shirt back to right sides out. You are going to measure around how long a strip you need for the collar. And, you are going to fold over the strip into the "V" at the end. Pay attention to where the folded edge is- that's what I got caught up on ! Once you have stitched the tip of your "V" in the strip line it up with the shirt. I cut a small slit on my shirt for extra flexibility where you see the arrow. Tack it into place. First right in the center and then a couple of pins on either side. stitch that into place and then work the collar into place and stitch that. Admire, press !

It's a good idea when you do any of your
stitching , that you go around again with a zig-zag stitch if you aren't
using a serger.

You are almost done ! Stitch up the sides, with right sides together and hem the bottom and the sleeves ! Voila !

Now off to make some for the family. Now that I've done a practice shirt I will be able to add all sorts of wonderful to it !